Connecticut Estate Planning Attorneys Blog

June 1, 2022

Making the Right Move: Understanding the 6 Senior Living Options

By Jill Brightman

Buying a home can be the most expensive and life-altering purchase we will ever make. It is where we plant our roots, grow our families, try our hand at home improvement tasks, decorate and re-decorate again to our tastes, and mostly, it’s where we make cherished memories.

However, there often will come a time when we need to decide (or in some circumstances, the decision will have to be made for us) if it’s time to downsize, move on to new surroundings, or re-think if our family home can be made safe and comfortable as we age.

May 18, 2022

8 Ways to Gift Assets to Your Grandchildren

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

Just when you think you’ve reached a point in life where you know exactly what love is, along come grandchildren. And it’s fun to spoil your grandchildren! When they are little, it’s so easy. You can let them have ice cream before dinner, give them that amazing game system they wanted (and their parents wouldn’t buy), or let them stay up extra late.

There are more momentous ways to make your grandchildren’s lives a little sweeter as they get older. If you are fortunate enough to have the ability to gift financial assets to your grandkids, there are a lot of different ways to legally sidestep taxes for both you and your grandchildren. And a number of these options also make it possible to earmark the money for specific purposes or protect it for when a child is older.

Cash is King.

May 11, 2022

Is it Okay to Say No to Becoming a Power of Attorney? Yes!

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

Someone has asked you to be their power of attorney – but you’re concerned. How do you respond?

Becoming someone’s agent under a power of attorney is not something to be undertaken lightly. It is an enormous responsibility that can potentially become a stressful and time-consuming duty.

So what exactly is a POA? When you are designated as a power of attorney, you are given the power to make decisions on behalf of the “principal” (the person executing the power of attorney) in case the principal should become incapacitated. Your role as the agent is to make choices and take actions to manage the principal’s affairs based on what you believe the principal would have done themselves. In other words, put yourselves in their shoes and act as they would on a situational basis.

May 4, 2022

How to Preserve Family History, One Photo at a Time

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

By Jill Brightman

As a child, one of my favorite past times was sorting through my family’s old, black and white photographs that had been passed down from multiple generations.

I romanticized the pictures of grandfather, in his World War II military uniform, and my grandmother, his young bride. I chuckled at looking at my own father as a gawky teen and was awestruck by looking at my great-grandparents in their turn of the century attire.

April 28, 2022

10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

By Esther Corcoran

Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of growing older, as many people seem to think. It is a disease that impairs memory and intellectual abilities to the point where their daily life is being affected. When people notice things in their daily life changing, there are 10 early signs to be aware of and to keep into consideration before seeking medical help.

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life. Memory loss is one of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s, especially forgetting recently learned information. Other instances include forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over; increasingly needing to rely on memory aids (e.g., reminder notes or electronic devices) or family members for things they used to handle on their own.

April 21, 2022

New Adventures and Heartfelt Gratitude

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

By Carol Frances

I’m about to leave the best job I’ve ever had. To work longer hours. To be on my feet all day and to deal with the public. I’m parting company with the finest group of colleagues I’ve ever had the privilege to work with to embark on a journey into the unknown.

I wouldn’t blame you if you called me crazy!

April 13, 2022

5 Things You Should Know Before Applying for Medicaid in Connecticut

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

Applying for Medicaid benefits can be overwhelming.

Between the paperwork, the ever-changing rules and regulations, and the inevitable waiting game that you’re up against, there’s a lot you need to know.

Here is information to get you started and hopefully, to make it easier for you.

April 6, 2022

15 Tips for Saving Money on Gas

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

If you’re feeling the squeeze every time you fill up your tank, we have some time-tested tips for making the experience less painful. We can’t turn back the clock or change global events that drive dramatic price increases, but we can share some tips to help ease the blow!

On their own, each of these tips only makes a small difference, but implementing a few at a time in a collaborative way, will ultimately keep your pockets full.

1. Choose regular-grade gas.

March 23, 2022

7 Ways to Support a Recently Widowed Friend

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

Losing a spouse is a devastating experience whether it happens at the end of a long illness or without any warning. In a moment, everything changes. For many, widowhood feels surreal, like the whole world has shifted slightly, leaving them standing apart from the life they used to know.

Modern culture in general, and American culture in particular, do not offer a lot of guidance for how to support someone who is grieving such a loss. This leaves many of us feeling deeply uncomfortable. In the worst cases, those awkward feelings keep us from offering the help we desperately want to provide to a friend or loved one.

We just don’t know what to do or say.